Further Education and Training Act 2007

2 Regional councils

After section 18 of LSA 2000 insert—

“Regional councils

18A Regional councils

(1) The Council must establish a committee (to be called a regional learning and skills council) for each area of England specified by the Secretary of State.

(2) The Secretary of State may by regulations make provision about regional councils.

(3) Regulations under subsection (2) may, in particular, make provision about—

(a) the membership of a regional council;

(b) the appointment of the members of a regional council;

(c) the appointment of a member of a regional council as chairman;

(d) the holding and vacation of office as a member or chairman of a regional council (including a person’s re-appointment, resignation and removal from office);

(e) the appointment by the Council of its employees as staff of a regional council;

(f) the delegation of functions by a regional council to its chairman;

(g) the delegation by the chairman of a regional council of functions that he is authorised to exercise to a member of the regional council;

(h) the delegation of functions by a regional council, with the consent of the Council, to a member of staff of the regional council;

(i) the payment by the Council of such salaries and such travelling, subsistence and other allowances to the chairman and other members of a regional council as the Secretary of State may determine;

(j) the provision of information to the Secretary of State;

(k) the attendance of a representative of the Secretary of State at, and the participation of such a representative in, any meeting of a regional council;

(l) the validity of the proceedings of a regional council;

(m) the regulation by a regional council of its own procedure.

(4) Regulations made by virtue of subsection (3)(a) may provide for the membership of a regional council to include persons who are not members of the Council.

(5) A consent given under subsection (3)(h) by the Council may relate to a particular function or to such descriptions of function as may be specified in the consent.

18B Functions of regional councils

(1) A regional council—

(a) must perform in relation to its area such of the Council’s duties as the Council specifies;

(b) may exercise in relation to its area such of the Council’s powers as the Council specifies.

(2) A regional council—

(a) must perform in relation to such places outside its area as the Council specifies such of the Council’s duties as the Council specifies;

(b) may exercise in relation to such places outside its area as the Council specifies such of the Council’s powers as the Council specifies.

18C Guidance to regional councils

(1) In relation to each financial year of the Council it must prepare guidance for each regional council.

(2) The guidance must include objectives which a regional council should achieve in seeking to carry out its functions.

(3) The guidance must set a regional council’s budget for the financial year.

(4) The Council must consult the regional development agencies and local authorities on the guidance.

(5) After consulting under subsection (4) and (if appropriate) altering the guidance the Council must issue the guidance to the regional council.

(6) The guidance in relation to the financial year of the Council in which section 2 of the Further Education and Training Act 2007 comes into force must be prepared as soon as reasonably practicable after that section comes into force.

(7) The guidance in relation to any subsequent financial year of the Council must be prepared in time for the guidance to be issued before the financial year starts.

(8) A regional development agency is a development agency established by section 1 of the Regional Development Agencies Act 1998.”